Sheet-folding machine

ABSTRACT

A sheet-folding machine for providing a sheet with a V-folded portion and with pleats situated between the V-folded portion. The machine includes a pair of rolls for feeding and simultaneously creasing a sheet while the latter is advanced by the rolls along a predetermined feed axis located in a predetermined feed plane extending between the rolls parallel to the axes thereof. A folding assembly is provided for folding a Vfold in a sheet, and this folding assembly includes an outer pair of sheet-supporting plates situated equidistantly from the feed plane as well as a pair of inner folding plates inclined inwardly toward the feed plane to be received between the outer plates so as to form a V-fold in a sheet while the latter is advanced toward the rolls. A pair of pleating members are situated at least temporarily in the space between the outer plates on opposite sides of a pleating plane which contains the feed axis and is normal to the feed plane for forming side pleats in a sheet simultaneously with the formation of a V-fold therein. Thus, the sheet which is folded and creased by the rolls will have not only a V-folded portion but also at least a pair of pleats situated between the V-folded portion.

United States Patent Sherofi et a1.

[451 Aug. 21, 1973 SHEET-FOLDING MACHINE [75] Inventors: Irving Sheroff,Brooklyn; Howard W. Berwanger, Bronx, both of NY.

[73] Assignee: Delfold Corporation, New York,

[22] Filed: Dec. 30, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 102,813

[52] U.S. Cl 270/67, 93/84 R, 270/39, 270/61 F, 270/73, 270/79, 270/84[51] Int. Cl B65h 45/18 [58] Field of Search 270/84, 85, 83, 79, 270/67,62, 73, 61, 66, 39; 93/84 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS1,501,774 7/1924 Heeter et al. 270/61 R 2,893,297 7/1959 Soffa et a193/84 3,465,492 9/1969 Jensen 270/84 X 3,391,923 7/1968 Kohlmeyer 270/843,632,103 1/1972 Nikitits 270/79 Primary ExaminerRobert W. MichellAssistant Examiner-L. R. Oremland ArtomeySteinberg & Blake [57] ABSTRACTA sheet-folding machine for providing a sheet with a V-folded portionand with pleats situated between the V-folded portion. The machineincludes a pair of rolls for feeding and simultaneously creasing a sheetwhile the latter is advanced by the rolls along a predetermined feedaxis located in a predetermined feed plane extending between the rollsparallel to the axes thereof. A folding assembly is provided for foldinga V-fold in a sheet, and this folding assembly includes an outer pair ofsheet-supporting plates situated equidistantly from the feed plane aswell as a pair of inner folding plates inclined inwardly toward the feedplane to be received between the outer plates so as to form a V-fold ina sheet while the latter is advanced toward the rolls. A pair ofpleating members are situated at least temporarily in the space betweenthe outer plates on opposite sides of a pleating plane which containsthe feed axis and is normal to the feed plane for forming side pleats ina sheet simultaneously with the formation of a V-fold therein. Thus, thesheet which is folded and creased by the rolls will have not only aV-folded portion but also at least a pair of pleats situated between theV-folded portion.

12 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures Patented Aug. 21, 1973 8 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTORS Patented Aug. 21, 1973 3,753,558

8 Sheets-Sheet B INVENTORS IRVING SHEROFF HOWARD W. BERWANGER ATTORNEYSPatented Aug. 21, 1913 3,753,558

8 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS 27 IRVING SHEROFF 0 HOWARD w. BERWANGERATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 21, 1973- 8 Sheets-Sheet A.

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m wg 3w IRVING SHEROFF HOWARD W. BERWANGER I I (WM-.35

adh M Patented Aug. 21, 1973 8 Shoots-Shoot i INVENTORS IRVING SHEROFFHOWARD w. BERWANGER 96 A TORNEYS Patented Aug. 21, 1973 3,753,558

8 Sheets-Sheet a w INVENTORS w {R IRVING SHEROFF *1 HOWARD w. BERWANGERATTORNEYS FIG] Patented Aug. 21, 1973 8 SheetsSheet 7 PLEATI/VG PLANEINVENTORS IRVING SHEROFF HOWARD W. BERWANGER ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 21,1973 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 IRVING SHEROFF INVENTORS HOWARD W. BERWANGERATTORNEYS SHEET-FOLDING MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The presentinvention relates to sheet-folding machines.

In particular, the present invention relates to that type of machinewhich is capable of automatically folding a sheet, such as a sheet ofpaper, in such a way that the sheet will be folded to have an outerV-shaped portion and side pleats situated between the outer V- shapedportion.

Sheets which are folded in this way are already known. They are carried,usually, by suitable V-shaped backers fixed to the outer V-folded sheetportion so that when the backer is unfolded the outer V-folded sheetportion is opened causing the pleated interior portions of the sheet toexpand with the sheet assuming its flat, unfolded condition. Because ofthe inherent tendency of the sheet to return to its folded condition,such a unit is conveniently collapsed back to its folded condition whereit occupies an extremely small amount of space.

Devices of this latter type may be very conveniently carried about inones pocket, and the unfolded sheet may disclose a map, or similarsubject matter, so that travellers in foreign countries or in unfamiliarcities can have access to a suitable map simply by opening the backer soas to unfold the sheet.

While devices of this latter type are known and widely used, because ofthe great convenience resulting therefrom, the presently known machinesfor folding the sheet are a source of considerable problems anddisadvantages. At one time it was economically feasible to have suchsheets folded by hand. However, because of the high costs of labor,attempts have been made to develop machines which will automaticallyfold the sheets, but the known machines which are available for thispurpose are exceedingly complex and expensive, they require almostconstant maintenance, their operation is unreliable, resulting infrequent shut-downs, their output is less than what is desired, and auniform product of high quality cannot be achieved. The conventionalmachines require a large number of complex components, they occupy anexceedingly large amount of space, and the costs involved in installingsuch conventional machines and keeping them operating properly areprohibitive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is accordingly a primary object of thepresent invention to provide a machine capable of producing foldedsheets of the above type while at the same time avoiding all of theabove drawbacks.

Thus, it is an object of the invention to provide a machine of the abovetype which is exceedingly compact, requiring only a relatively smallnumber of reliably operating elements, and which at the same time iscapable of reliably producing with minimum maintenance operations andwith minimum installation difficulties a high quality product at a highoutput.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a machine of theabove type which will consume an exceedingly small amount of power whilefunctioning to produce a high output of high quality products.

Also, it is an object of the present invention to pro vide a machine ofthis type which occupies such a small amount of space that a relativelylarge number of the sheet-folding units can be provided in a singlemachine in order to multiply the output thereof, practically at will.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a machinewhich requires no more manual operation than periodic replenishing of asupply of sheets which are to be folded.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a machineof the above type which is capable of carrying out all of the foldingoperations on a sheet while the latter moves through an extremely shortdistance in only a single direction.

In addition it is an object of the present invention to provide amachine of this type which will reliably strip the folded sheets fromthe components which fold the sheet, and which will operate on a sheetin such a way that the possibility of tearing or otherwise damaging thesheet is reliably avoided.

According to the invention the sheet-folding machine includes a pair ofrolls which respectively have parallel axes of rotation and which aresituated adjacent and on opposite sides of a predetermined feed planewhich is situated between and parallel to the axes of rotation. Theserolls operate to feed and simultaneously crease a sheet which passesbetween these rolls along a predetermined feed axis which is situated inthe latter feed plane. A folding assembly is provided for forming a V-fold in a sheet which is received between the rolls this foldingassembly being located ahead of the rolls, considered in the directionof sheet travel. The folding assembly includes an outer V-fold means andan inner V- fold means, the outer V-fold means having a pair of spacedsheet-supporting portions situated equidistantly from the feed plane onopposite sides thereof and defining between themselves a space throughwhich the feed plane extends and across which a sheet initially extendsbefore a V-fold is formed therein. The inner V- fold means is alignedwith this latter space to be received therein for forming a V-fold in asheet prior to feeding and creasing of the sheet by the rolls. A meansis operatively connected with at least one of these V- fold means foradvancing it along the feed axis with respect to the other of the V-foldmeans so as to situate the inner V-fold means in the space between thesheetsupporting portions to form a V-fold in a sheet. A pair of pleatingmembers are situated on opposite sides of a pleating plane which isnormal to the feed plane and which contains the feed axis. Thesepleating members are situated in the space between the sheet-supportingportions at least during part of the time that a sheet is folded by thefolding assembly, so that the pleating members will form a pair of sidepleats between a V- folded sheet portion during subsequent feeding andcreasing of the sheet by the rolls. In this way the folded sheet willhave an outer V-folded portion and at least a pair of inner pleatssituated between the outer V- folded portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The invention is illustrated by way ofexample in the accompanying drawings which form part of this applicationand in which:

FIG. 1 is an end elevation of a machine according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation of the machine of FIG. 1 as seen from theright of FIG. 1, FIG. 2 illustrating a maof FIG. 3 in the direction ofthe arrows and showing further details of the structure, FIG. 5 inparticular illustrating details of the sheet-supply means and thepleating structure;

FIG. 6 is a sectional elevation taken along line 66 of FIG. 3 in thedirection of the arrows and illustrating further details of the pleatingstructure as well as part of the V-folding structure;

FIG. 7 is a sectional plan view taken along line 77 of FIG. 4 in thedirection of the arrows and showing at a scale which is enlarged ascompared to FIG. 4 the manner in which the V-folding and pleatingstructure acts on a sheet; I

FIG. 8 is a sectional elevation taken along line 88 of FIG. 7 toillustrate further the condition of a sheet during the folding andpleating thereof;

FIG. 9 is a sectional elevation taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 4 in thedirection of the arrows and illustrating controls of the sheet-supplymeans as well as the interconnection between part of the V-fold meansand the stripper means;

FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective illustration of the manner in whichthe sheet-engaging components of a unit of the invention operate toproduce the desired product;

FIGS. 11-13 respectively illustrate details of control cams;

FIG. 14 is a perspective illustration of the product produced by themachine of the invention shown in a partly open position; and

FIG. 15 is a schematic representation of a flat sheet, before it isfolded, FIG. 15 illustrating the lines along which the sheet is foldedand pleated.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS Referringfirst to FIG. 15, the product produced by the machine of the inventionis folded from a flat sheet which may be any sheet of suitable paperwhich may have the generally rectangular or square configurationillustrated in FIG. 15. These sheets 20, before they are acted upon bythe machine of the invention, will have suitabie printed matter thereon,this printed matter being a map or the like, as pointed out above.Although, the sheet 20 is referred to as being made of paper, it is tobe understood that the material used for the sheet 20 can be anymaterial which is capable of having information printed thereon andwhich is capable of being folded. The sheet 20 is initially folded alongthe line 22 so that the opposed edges 24 and 26 thereof swing towardeach other. In addition, the sheet 20 is pleated along the line 22 inopposite directions inwardly from the center point 28 of the line 22,which also forms the center of the sheet, so that the main central foldline also forms a pair of inner pleats in the sheet. The sheet is alsopleated along the outer portions of the diagonal fold lines 30 and 32.Thus, the diagonal fold line 30 is pleated inwardiy along the outerportions thereof up to the points 34 and 36, while the diagonal 32 ispleated inwardly along the outer portions thereof up to the points 38and 40. In this way four outer pleats 42, 44, 46, and 48 are formed withthe sheet being folded at its corner portions along the lines 50 and 52between which the pleat 42 becomes situated, along the lines 52 and 54between which the pleat 44 becomes located,along the lines 56 and 58,between which the pleat 46 becomes located, and along the lines 60 and62, between which the pleat 48 becomes located.

The product of the invention is shown in a partly unfolded condition inthe perspective illustration of FIG. 14 where the reference charactersof FIG. 15 appear along the various folds and edges produced in thefinished product by folding in the manner described above in connectionwith FIG. 15, so that by a comparison of FIG. 14 and FIG. 15 it ispossible to visualize the manner in which the sheet is folded andpleated. Thus, it will be seen that the final product formed from thesheet 20 has an outer V-fold portion formed by the walls 64 and 66. Eachof the walls 64 and 66 is generally rectangular at its upper portion buttapered along its lower portion up to the point 28 which is situated atthe crest of the V-folded portion of the sheet. Between these walls 64and 66 of the V-folded portion are the pair of inner pleats 68 and 70formed along the line 22, and the inner folded edges of these innerpleats just come up to each other and are situated midway between theside edges 58 and 60 of the wall 64. On one side of the central pleats68 and 70 are a pair of inner pleats 72 and 74, and it will be notedthat the inner fold line 42 of the outer pleat 72 overlaps the innerfold line 44 of the outer pleat 74. These outer pleats 72 and 74 aresituated between the inner pleats and the wall 66. A pair of additionalouter pleats 76 and 78 are situated between the center or inner pleats68 and 70 and the other outer wall 64, and the inner fold lines 46 and48 of these pleats 76 and 78 also overlap each other.

A suitable backing sheet is V-folded and has its inner surfaces glued orotherwise fixed to the outer surfaces of the walls 64 and 66, so thatthe sheet can be collapsed into a substantially flat condition. When thebacking sheet is opened, the walls 64 and 66 are pulled apart from eachother so as to spread the sheet out back toward its condition shown inFIG. 15, thus making it easy to read the material printed on the sheet.The entire sheet is readily returned back to its folded conditionbecause of the inherent tendency of the sheet to return to its collapsedcondition. Because the backing sheet is glued only to the outer surfacesof the walls 64 and 66, the outer surfaces of the pleats are visible inthe partly unfolded condition of the sheet, so that ad ditional printedmatter can be located at these parts of the sheet 20.

The manner in which the machine of the invention operates to producefrom a flat sheet as shown in FIG. 15 a folded sheet as shown in FIG. 14is illustrated in FIG. 10. Each unit of the machine includes a pair ofcreasing and feeding rolls 80 and 82 which are of an identicalconstruction and which are situated next to each other in side-by-siderelation. These rolls have parallel axes and they are driven in oppositedirections so as to feed the sheet downwardly along a predetermined feedaxis 84. This feed axis 84 is contained in feed plane 86 which extendsmidway between and is parallel to the axes of the rolls 80 and 82, sothat the latter are located on opposite sides of while being closelyadjacent to the feed plane 86. A sheet-supply means, referred to ingreater detail below, supplies the sheets 20 one after the other in flatcondition, to a folding assembly 88 which is situated in advance of thefeed rolls 80 and 82, considered in the direction of sheet travel. Thus,where the axes of the rolls are horizontal, the folding assembly 88 issituated directly above or below the feed rolls.

The folding assembly 88 includes an outer V-fold means 90 and an innerV-fold means 92. The outer V- fold means 90 has a pair ofsheet-supporting portions having oppositely inclined sheet-engagingsurfaces converging toward the rolls 80 and 82 and defining betweenthemselves a tapered space through which the feed plane symmetricallyextends, the pair of sheetsupporting portions being formed by a pair ofplates which have lower parts 94 and 96 situated on opposite sides ofthe feed plane 86 equidistantly therefrom and being inclined inwardlyand downwardly toward each other symmetrically with respect to the feedplane 86, these parts 94 and 96 being tapered and terminating in thelower substantially pointed ends illustrated in FIG. 10. At their upperends the parts 94 and 96 are fixed with outwardly extending horizontalwings which are not in FIG. and on which each sheet is deposited by thesheet-supply means. In this way each sheet will initially extend acrossthe space which is defined between the sheet-supporting portion of theouter V-fold means 90.

The inner V-fold means 92 has a pair of folding plates 98 and 100 whichare also situated symmetrically with respect to the feed plane 86 onopposite sides thereof, these plates 98 and 100 also being inclinedinwardly toward each other in a downward direction and terminating inthe substantially pointed lower ends illustrated in FIG. 10. Thus, thefolding plates 98 and 100 are respectively of the same inclination asthe sheet-engaging surfaces of the pair of sheet-supporting portionsformed by the parts 94 and 96, with these folding plates 98 and 100 alsoconverging toward the feed rolls 80 and 82 and defining betweenthemselves a tapered space through which the feed plane symmetricallyextends. A means which is referred to below is operatively connectedwith the inner V-fold means 92 so as to lower it along the feed axis 84without changing the inclination of the plates 98 and 100 so that theplates 98 and 100 will become situated between and closely adjacent tothe parts 94 and 96 of the outer V-fold means 90, and in this way theinner V-fold means 92 will be moved downwardly through the space acrosswhich the sheet initially extends in order to form a V-fold in the sheetalong the line 22, this fold being advanced in a manner described belowdownwardly beyond the parts 94 and 96 to be received between and engagedby the feed rolls 80 and 82 which continue the feeding of the sheetaround the axis 84 while simultaneously creasing the sheet so that ittravels down below the rolls 80 and 82 along the feed axis 84 in thecondition illustrated in FIG. 10.

A pair ofinner pleating members 102 and 104 are located in the feedplane 86 on opposite sides of the feed axis 84 and on opposite sides ofa pleating plane 106 which is normal to the feed plane 86 and whichcontains feed axis 84. The inner ends of the pleating members 102 and104, which are closely adjacent to the feed axis 84, are situateddirectly in the space between the parts 94 and 96 at the region of thelower tips thereof while the sheet moves down to the rolls and 82, sothat the inner ends of these feeding members 102 and 104 form in thesheet the inner pleats 68 and 70. Thus, it is these pleating memberswhich pleat the sheet inwardly, causing the central fold line 22 to foldupon itself upwardly from the point 28, simultaneously with the downwardmovement of the sheet to the feed rolls 80 and 82. The pleating members102 and 104 are located in their operative, pleating positions duringthe time when the sheet moves down beyond the parts 94 and 96 to therolls 80 and 82.

Each unit of the machine also includes four outer pleating members 108,110, 112 and 114, each of which is of a substantially semicircularconfiguration. In addition, the pleating structure includes a pair ofpleating plates 1 16 and 118 which are situated between the foldingplates 98 and 100 of the inner V-fold means 92. These pleating plates116 and 118 have lower portions which are oppositely inclined outwardlyaway from the feed plane 86, with the plates 116 and 118 being situatedon opposite sides of the feed plane 86 and being positionedsymmetrically with respect thereto, so that in a downward direction thefeeding plates 116 and 118 diverge apart from each other and approachthe folding plates 98 and 100, respectively. The outer pleating membersare arranged two on one side and two on the other side of the pleatingplane 106. Thus, it will be seen that the outer pleating members 108 and110 are situated on one side of the plane 106 while the outer pleatingmembers 112 and 114 are situated on the other side of the pleating plane106. When the inner V-fold means 92 has been moved down sufi'iciently tolocate the plates 98 and 100 next to the parts 94 and 96 with only thewalls 64 and 68 of the sheet between the parts 94 and 96, on the onehand, and the plates 98 and 100, on the other hand, the outer pleatingmembers are in alignment with the spaces between the pleating plates 116and 118, on the one hand, and the folding plates 98 and 100, on theother hand, and at this time these outer pleating members are swunginwardly as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 10, so that they enterbetween the plates 116, 118, on the one hand, and the plates 98, 100, onthe other hand, so as to form in this way the pair of outer pleats 72,74, 76, and 78. These pleats are formed around the pleating plates 116and 118.

Thus, referring to FIG. 8, the outer V-fold means is shown with theinclined parts 94 and 96 of the sheetsupporting portions which includethe horizontal lateral extending wings 120 and 122 on which the sheet isinitially deposited in the flat condition shown in FIG. 15. The foldingplates 98 and 100 are shown in their lower end positions extendingthrough the space between the wings 120 and 122, and the walls 64 and 66of the sheet 20 are shown against the parts 94 and 96 of the outerV-fold means 90 as well as against the outer surfaces of the foldingplates 98 and 100. As is apparent from FIG. 8, the inner tips of thepleating members 102 and 104 are situated at the elevation of the lowerends of the parts 94 and 96 to form the pair of inner pleats whichbecome located along the feed axis. The pair of pleating members 108 and112 enter into the space between plates 98 and 116 while the other pairof pleating members and 114 enter into the space between the plates 100and 118, so that in this way the pleats are formed around the pleatingplates 116 and 118.

A stripping means includes a pair of stripping plates 124 and 126, shownin phantom lines in FIG. 8, and these plates 124 and 126 are lowered ina manner referred to in greater detail below, so as to strip the sheetfrom the inner V-fold means 92 as well as from the pleating plates 116and 118, and deliver the tip of the sheet between the feed rolls and 82to be engaged thereby and fed along the axis 84.

The operation is also apparent from FIG. 7 where the wall 64 is shownbetween the part 96 and folding plate 100 while the wall 66 of the sheetis shown between the folding plate 98 and the part 94. The manner inwhich the inner pleating members 102 and 104 extend inwardly to alocation close to the feed axis is particularly apparent. Also, FIG. 7illustrates .how the outer pleating members are situated to form theouter pleats. FIG. 7 particularly shows how the overlap between eachpair of outer pleats is achieved.

After the above operations are completed the inner V-fold means 92together with the pleating plates 116 and 118 are retracted upwardlyback to their starting position and the next sheet is deposited upon thewings 120 and 122 of the pair of sheet-supporting portions of the outerV-fold means 90. Then all of the above operations are repeated.

In the particular machine 125 of the invention which is illustrated inFIG. 2, there are four identical units 127, 128, and 132, and all ofthese units operate in synchronism so as to simultaneously provide theproducts of the invention. Inasmuch as all of these units are identical,only the details of the unit 127 are described below, but it will beunderstood from the description that follows that various components ofthe several units are supported by common members which extend acrossthe entire machine 125. As may be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, all of theunits are supported on a common base plate 134. The pair of vertical endplates 136 and 138 extend upwardly from and are fixed to the base plate134. A rear supporting bar 140 extends between and is carried by therear edges of the end walls 136 and 138, while a front supporting bar142 extends parallel to the rear supporting bar 140 and is also fixed tothe end walls 136 and 138, this front bar 142 being fragmentarilyvisible in FIG. 3. Each unit has its own base plate 144 extendingbetween and carried by the bars 140 and 142, as shown for the unit 127in FIG. 3.

To the rear of the bar 140, each unit is provided with a sheet supplymeans 146 described in greater detail below. Various components,including the sheet-supply means 146 communicate with a suitable sourceof compressed air in a manner described below.

The entire drive is taken from a single driving motor 148 carried by thebase plate 134 and driving; through a chain-and-sprocket drive, a camshaft 150 which carries cams for providing the controls for the severalunits.

SHEET-SUPPLY MEANS Referring to FIG. 5, each sheet-supply means includesa box 152 formed by four vertical walls which are connected to eachother so as to fonn an enclosure for receiving a supply of sheets 20.From time to time the attendant will place sheets 20 in each box 152.

Each box 152 has a lower wall 154 which is displaced vertically in amanner referred to below. Each box 152 has a rear wall 156 which isfixedly carried by a transverse bar 158 extending between and carried bythe end walls 136 and 138. At each unit the bar 158 carries a bracket160 on which a microswitch 162 is mounted. The microswitch 162 has aswitch-actuating finger 164 which engages the top sheet 20 in the box152.

As the sheets 20 are taken one after the other from the top of the stackin the box 152, the springy switchactuating finger 164 expandsdownwardly, until it reaches a position where it will close the switch162 so as to energize a solenoid 166 electrically connected into thecircuit of the microswitch 162. This solenoid 166 has a finger whichengages a swingable gear sector 168 supported for swinging movement on apin 170 carried by the base plate 134. A spring 172 is operativelyconnected with the gear sector 168 so as to hold it yieldably in a restposition when the solenoid 156 is not energized.

When the solenoid 166 is energized, the armature thereof swings the gearsector 168, and this gear sector 168 meshes with a gear 174 which actsthrough a oneway clutch 176 on a screw 178. Thus, when the gear 174 isturned in one direction by the gear sector 168, the drive is transmittedthrough the clutch 176 to the screw 178 so as to turn the latter, whilewhen the solenoid 166 is unener gized and the spring 172 retracts thegear 168, the gear 174 is turned in an opposite direction withouttransmitting any turning movement to the screw 178.

This screw 178 is threaded into an elongated sleeve 180 which is fixedto the bottom wall 154 of the box 152. Thus, each time the solenoid 156is energized by the microswitch 162, the screw 178 will be turnedsufficiently to raise the floor 154 and move the switchactuating finger164 upwardly, so as to open the switch 162 and maintain the stack ofsheets 20 at the desired elevation in the box 152.

The front corners of the box 152 communicate with a pair of tubes 182and 184 which in turn communicate through flexible lines 186 and 188with a source of compressed air, so that in this way air can be blowninto the front corners of the box 152 in order to maintain the sheetsloose from each other at the upper region of the stack 20. The tubes 182and 184 are formed with openings communicating with the interior of thebox 152 at the upper front corners thereof.

The end walls 136 and 138 fixedly carry pivots 190 on which a pair ofarms 192 and 194 are swingably mounted. These arms extend rearwardlyfrom the side walls 136 and 138 and are formed with elongated slots 196and 198.

A pair of carriages 200 and 202 are located respectively beside the arms192 and 194 at the inner sides thereof, and these carriages have rollers204 and 206 which roll freely along the interior of the slots 196 and198. The pair of carriages 200 and 202 are respectively fixed to a pairof upwardly extending arms 208 and 210. These arms are pivotallysuspended at their top ends from a pair of rearwardly directedsupporting arms 212 and 214 which are fixed to and extend rearwardlyfrom the walls 136 and 138 at the inner side surfaces thereof.

The outer surfaces of the pair of end walls 136 and 138 fixedly carry apair of rearwardly directed supporting arms 216 and 218. At their rearends these arms support for free rotary movement, in any suitablebearings, an elongated cam shaft 220, and to this shaft there is fixed apair of cams 222 and 224. These cams are respectively provided at theirinner surfaces with endless camming grooves 228 respectively receivingcam follower 230 projecting from the swingable arms 208 and 210.

Along the outer side surfaces of the cams 222 and 224 are a pair oflifting arms 232 and 234. These lifting arms 232 and 234 arerespectively formed with vertical slots through which the cam shaft 220passes (FIG. 9). The bottom ends of the arms 234 are respectively fixedto the top edges of the swingable arms 192 and 194. At their outer sidesurfaces the cams 222 and 224 are formed with endless camming grooves236 which receive followers at the top ends of the lifting arms 232 and234, respectively.

Outwardly beyond the pair of walls 136 and 138, the main drive shaft 150drives a sprocket 238 which in turn drives a chain 240. This chaindrives a sprocket 242 fixed to one end of the cam shaft 220, so thatthis shaft rotates continuously. The arrangement of the camming groovesof the cams 222 and 224 is such that the lifting arms 232 and 234 willswing the horizontal arms 192 and 194 around the pivots 190 while thearms 208 and 210 displace the carriages 200 and 202 back and forth alongthe slots 196 and 198.

These carriages are fixed to the opposite ends of an elongated bar 244which fixedly carries at each unit a pair of forwardly extending arms246 which in turn respectively carry at their free ends a pair ofsuction cups 248 communicating with a source of suction through theflexible tubes 250.

With this structure as the shaft 220 continuously rotates the cams 222and 224 actuate the arms 232 and 234 as well as the arms 208 and 210 soas to raise the rear ends of the levers 192 and 194, while suction isapplied to the suction cups 248, thus raising a sheet from the top ofthe stack. Then the arms 208 and 210 are swung forwardly at their lowerends, so that the carriages 200 and 202 move forwardly, causing thesheets to become located over the wings 120 and 122. When each sheet isproperly aligned with these wings of the outer V-fold means 90, throughunillustrated controls the suction at the suction cups 248 is terminatedso that each sheet is released, and then the arms 208 and 210 arereturned to the rear ends of the arms 192 and 194 while the arms 232 and234 are lowered, so that the suction cups 248 engage the next sheet, andthe next cycle of operations is ready to be repeated, the suction nowbeing again applied through the lines 250. In this way sheets aresuccessively delivered one after the other to the outer V-fold means 90.

From time to time the machine will be stopped and the operator willmanually turn the screw 178 of each unit oppositely to the direction ofturning it has when raising the floor 154, so as to lower the floor 154,and then the operator can simply slip a new supply of sheets beneath thesuction cups into each box 152. The machine is then started again andthe operations continue.

SHEET-FOLDING ASSEMBLY Referring to FIG. 4, it will be seen that thebase 144 of each unit fixedly carries a pair of' upstanding side walls252 and 254. The top edge of the wall 254 is fixed t the outer edge ofthe wing 120 while the top edge of the wall 252 is fixed to the outeredge of the wing 122,

so that in this way the outer V-fold means is fixedly supported andmaintained stationary by a support means which is formed by the base 144and walls 252 and 254. Along its front and rear as well as outer sideedge, each of these wings is provided with a rim 256, so that these rimsform lips for extending along the outer side edges of each sheet 20 inorder to properly position it on the wings and 122.

The folding plates 98 and 100 of the inner V-fold means 92 are fixed attheir top ends, through suitable brackets, to the rear surface of anelongated bar 258, and it will be noted that this bar 258 is common toall of the units and carries the outer V-fold means of all of the units.Also it will be noted that through a suitable block and suitablefastening pins the pleating plates 116 and 118 are fixed to the rearsurface of the common supporting bar 258, so that these plates 116 and118 will necessarily remain at predetermined positions with respect tothe folding plates 98 and 100 (FIG. 4).

The ends of the supporting bar 258 are fixed with a pair of verticallymovable control rods 260 and 262. Thus, each end of bar 258 may beformed with a suitable eye or sleeve, and the rods 260 and 262respectively extend through these sleeves which are pinned or otherwisefixed to the rods by suitable cross pins, so that in this way the bar258 will be compelled to move up and down with the rods 260 and 262.Adjacent their upper ends, the walls 136 and 138 of the main framerespectively carry the bearing blocks 264 and 266 for the rods 260 and262. Also, at the elevation of the bars 140 and 142, these end wallscarry additional bearing blocks 266 for these rods, as is apparent fromFIG. 3.

At their lower ends the rods 260 and 262 respectively carry cam-followerrollers which are respectively received in the camming grooves 268 of apair of rotary main cams 270, one of which is shown in detail in FIG.

- 11. These cams 270 are fixed to the main shaft so as to rotatetherewith, and through the cam-follower rollers at the bottom ends ofthe rods 260 and 262,

these rods are moved up and down in manner determined by theconfiguration of the camming groove 268 shown in FIG. 11.

Each cam 270 will have the position shown in FlG. 11 when the rods 260and 262 are at their lowest points, positioning the pair of foldingplates 98 and 100 at their lowest points. As each cam 270 continues toturn in a counterclockwise direction as indicated by the arrow in FIG.11, the rods 260 and 262 will be raised slightly by the portion 272 ofeach camming groove, and then after remaining for a short dwell periodat this elevation, the rods are raised until the cam 270 has been turnedthrough from the position of FIG. 11 so that the outermost point 274receives the camfollowers at the bottom ends of the rods 260 and 262.This is a starting position where the pair of folding plates of theouter V-fold means is situated at the highest elevation, and then as thecams continue to turn the pair of folding plates 98 and 100 will belowered, together with the pleating plates 116 and 118, so that in thisway the cycle of operation of the folding assembly is repeated.

Of course, the paper supply means has its operation timed with respectto that of the folding assemblies so that the sheets 20 are introducedat the several units at the time when the plates 98 and 100 are at theirhighest elevation.

The cam-followers at the bottom ends of the rods 260 and 262 aremaintained at all times at the uppermost part of the cams 270 by a pairof weights 276 and 278. The top ends of the walls 136 and 138 areinterconnected by a top plate 280 of the main frame of the entiremachine, and this plate is formed with suitable slots to support forrotary movement the guide pulleys 282 around which cords 284 and 286 areguided. These cords are fixed at their bottom ends to suitable rings orother fastening members fixed to the bar 258, so that this bar togetherwith the rods 260 and 262 is constantly urged upwardly by the weights276 and 278. Thus, the extent of upward movement of the bar 258 islimited by the coaction of the cam-follower rollers at the bottom of therods 260 and 262 with the camming groove 268 of the main cams 270.

STRIPPING MEANS As was pointed out above in connection with FIG. 8, themachine includes at each of the units a pair of stripping plates 124 and126. At each unit the pair of stripping plates 124 and 126 are fixed bysuitable brackets to the rear surface of an elongated horizontallyextending bar 288 which is common to all of the units and which isformed at its ends with suitable sleeve portions through which the rods260 and 262 slidably extend. Over the bar 288 the rods 260 and 262respectively fixedly carry collars 290 beneath which are rubber rings orcushions 292 so as to prevent direct engagement between the bar 288 andthe collars 290 and so as to absorb the force of any impact when thesecomponents approach each other. The bar 258 fixedly carries on anysuitable bracket a yieldable means 294 having an air cylinder 296communicating with any suitable source of compressed air through a tube298. This air cylinder encloses a piston having a piston rod 300 fixedto a bracket 302 which is fixed to and projects from the bar 288, sothat this yieldable means seeks at all times to maintain the bars 258and 288 at a given distance from each other with the bar 288 engagingthe cushions 292 which are beneath the fixed collars 290.

The ends of the elongated bar 288 of the stripping means arerespectively fixed to a pair of outer rods 304 and 306 which carry attheir lower ends inwardly directed cam-follower rollers. It will benoted from FIG. 11 that the main cam 270 fixedly carries at its outersurface, which is opposed to the surface formed with the groove 268, acamming finger 308, and it is this finger which coacts with the followerrollers at the bottom end of the rod of the stripping means in order toprovide relative movement between the bar 288 and the bar 258 inopposition to the force of the yieldable means 294. It will be notedfrom FIG. 2 that there are only two main cams 270 for the entire seriesof units, and these cams coact with the rods adjacent the end walls 136and 138 to provide a movement to the bars 258 and 288 wich is common forall of the units.

Thus, with this construction the yieldable means 294 will normallymaintain the bar 288 at a given distance from the bar 258, and all ofthe operations will take place without operation of the stripping means.However, it will be noted from FIG. 11 in particular that when the cam270 is at a position situating the inner V- fold means 92 at its lowestend position, at the end of the folding operation, the fingers 308 willsimultaneously move at opposite ends of the entire machine over thefollower rollers at the bottom ends of the rods 304 and 306, so thatwhile the folding plates 98 and 100 dwell at their bottom end positionsthe fingers 308 coact with the rods 304 and 306 to lower the bar 288 inopposition to the yieldable means 294 so as to bring the stripping meansinto operation.

At each unit the pair of stripping plates 124 and 126 will thus movedown, in response to the action of the fingers 308 of the main cams, soas to engage the folded sheet material and advance it further down fromthe folding plates, and this additional increment of movement derivedfrom the stripping plates is sufficient to advance each sheet into thenip between the feed rolls and 82. It will be noted, from FIG. 4, forexample, that the pleating plates 116 and 1 18 terminate at asubstantial distance above the bottom ends of the folding plates 98 and100, and in addition these pleating plates 116 and 118 are made of aspringy metal, so that the stripping plates 124 and 126 easily displacethe bottom ends of the pleating plates 116 and 118 inwardly toward eachother while the stripping plates 124 and 126 move down to the bottom ofthe folded sheet for continuing the advancing thereof tothe feed rollswhile at the same time stripping the sheet from the folding plates.

A particular feature of the invention which is to be noted in thisconnection is the configuration of the groove 268, shown in FIG. 11,according to which this groove has the curved portion 272 whichfunctions to raise the folding plates 98 and 100 slightly simultaneouslywith the continued downward movement of the stripping plates. Thus, thestripping action takes place as a result of the downward movement of thestripping plates as well as a simultaneous slight retraction of thefolding plates 98 and 100, and this combination of actions has beenfound to be highly effective in bringing about a rapid, faultlessstripping action.

Of course, when the fingers 308 of the cams 2'70 move beyond thefollower rollers at the bottom ends of the rods 304 and 306, thepressure in the cylinder 296 of the yieldable means 294 acts to raisethe bar 288 until it engages the cushions 292 beneath the collars 290,and thus the stripping means is returned to its rest position withrespect to the inner .V-fold means, in preparation for the next cycle ofoperations.

PLEATING MECHANISM As was pointed out above in connection with FIG. 10,each unit is provided with a pair of inner pleating members 102 and 104and with four outer pleating members 108, 110, 112 and 114.

The pair of inner pleating members 102 and 104 are in the form ofrelatively thin plates made of any suitable metal, for example. Theyhave the configuration shown most clearly in FIG. 6 where they areillustrated in their operative positions with their inner tips locateddirectly next to and on opposite sides of the feed axis 84. As waspointed out above these members 102 and 104 are situated directly in thefeed plane where they remain at all times. Each of the members M2 and104 is of a substantially L-shaped configuration, except that it has asubstantially square configuration at the junction between the legs, asis apparent from FIG. 6.

These inner pleating members 102 and 104 are respectively fixed to endsof a pair of horizontal rods 310 and 312, which are of square crosssection. These rods 310 and 312 are respectively fixed at their endsdistant from the pleating members 102 and 104 to a pair of swing levers314 and 316 shown most clearly in FIGS. and 7. The side wall 252 of eachunit fixedly carries a pivot 318 (FIG. 4), and the levers 314 and 316are swingable on this stationary pivot 318. A pair of links 320 and 322are pivotally connected with swing levers 314 and 316, respectively, onsuitable pins fixedly carried thereby, and suitable spacers areinterposed between the levers and the links so that the links 320 and322 will be situated in a common plane, as is apparent from FIG. 7.

The bottom ends of the links 320 and 322 are pivotally connected with across member 324 in the form of an angle bar, as is apparent from FIG.4. Thus, the vertical web of this bar is pivotally connected with thelinks 320 and 322 while the lower horizontal web of the angle member 324is fixed to the top end of a vertically extending rod 326, guided formovement through a suitable opening formed in the base plate 144 of eachunit. The lower end of this vertically extending rod 326 carries afollower roller 328 which coacts with a cam 330 which is fixed to theelongated main shaft 150.

The configuration and details of the cam 330 are most clearly shown inFIG. 12. Also, FIG. 6 shows the end positions of the inner pleatingmember 104. Thus in the lower solid line position the inner pleatingmember 104 is shown in its operative position where the inner tip willprovide one of the inner central pleats of the folded product. In theupper inclined dot-dash line position the pleating member 104 is in aninoperative position still extending into the space between thesheet-supporting portions of the outer V-fold means 90, but displacedfrom the lower tip of'the stationary parts 94 and 96. The other pleatingmember 102 assumes at all times a position which is symmetrical withrespect to the member 104.

It is apparent that when the cross-bar 324 is in its position shown inFIG. 5, directly above the base plate 144, the swing levers 314 and 316have been swung to their lowest elevations and the inner pleatingmembers 102 and 104 are in their operative positions. However, when thebar 324 is raised, the lever 314 will swing in a clockwise directionwhile the lever 316 will simultaneously swing in a counterclockwisedirection, and this will displace the inner pleating members 102 and 104to their rest or inoperative positions shown in dot-dash lines for themember 104 in FIG. 6.

Referring to FIG. 12, the cam 330 rotates in a counterclockwisedirection, as indicated by the arrow. This cam 330 has an outer edgeportion 332 which coacts with the follower roller 328. The part of theedge 332 extending from the tip 334 of the cam all the way up to member336 corresponds to the raised position of the cross-bar 254 when thepleating members 102 and 104 are raised in their inclined inoperativepositions and it is at this time that a sheet 20 which has beendeposited upon the wings 120 and 122 is acted upon by the inner V-foldmeans 92 so as to be displaced down into the space between the inclinedstationary plate portions 94 and 96 of the outer V-fold means 90. As isapparent from the dot-dash line position shown for element 104 in FIG.6, at this time the sheet will initially have the center pleats 68 and70 formed therein simply by downward movement of the sheet with respectto the pleating members 102 and 104 which remain at their restpositions.

The cam 330 has fixed thereto the camming member 336 which defines withthe outer edge 332 of the cam a camming groove 338 which receives thefollower roller 328 so that the latter will be positively pulleddownwardly. This downward pulling lowers the crossbar 324 to its lowerend position shown in FIG. 5. As a result the sheet which has had thecenter pleats 68 and 70 initially formed therein simply by downwardmovement of the sheet with respect to the stationary pleating members102 and 104 which are in their rest positions, will now have theformation of the center pleats continued until the pleats are providedwith their inner edge portions 22 extending along the feed axis, becausethe inwardly swinging inner pleating members 102 and 104 will now pushwith their inner tips against the sheet along the line 22 so as tocomplete the formation of the inner pair of central pleats. By the timethe part 340 of the groove 338 has reached the camfollower roller 328,the inner movement of the pleating members 102 and 104 has beencompleted, and along the curved portion 342 the pleating members 102 and104 dwell at their innermost operative positions, and it is during thistime that the stripping action takes place and the sheet 20 continues tobe advanced downwardly by the feed rolls and 82 while the pleatingmembers 102 and 104 remain at their operative positions thus forming aneffective guide which results in the final formation of the centralinner pleats 68 and 70.

As the cam 330 continues to turn the point 344 of its edge 322 willreach the cam-follower roller and from this point to the point 334 thebar 324 will be raised so that the inner pair of pleated members 102 and104 will now return to their rest positions in preparation for the nextcycle.

The semicircular outer pleating plates 108, 110, 112, and 114 are in theform of relatively thin sheet metal members fixed, as by welding or anyother suitable means, to the free ends of horizontally extending rods346, 348, 350, and 352, all of which are made of any suitablesubstantially rigid metal. These rods are of circular cross section andat their ends distant from the pleating members are respectively fixedto links 354, 356, 358, and 360. These links are swingably mounted attheir upper ends on pivots 362, 364, 366 and 368, respectively, thepivots 362 and 366 being carried by the wall 254 while the pivots 364and 368 are carried by the wall 252, and it will be noted from FIG. 7that suitable spacers are interposed between these walls and the upperlinks which have their bottom ends fixed to the rods 346, 348, 350, and352.

These rods serve at their ends which are respectively fixed to theselinks as pivots for intermediate links 370, 372, 376, and 378. Theseintermediate links are in turn pivotally connected with lower links 380,382, 384, and 386. At their lower ends the lower links 382 and 386 arepivotally connected with a cross-bar 388, while the lower links 380 and384 are pivotally connected at their lower ends with a cross-bar 390. Asis apparent from FIG. 4, these cross-bars are also in the form of anglemembers. As may be seen from FIG. 6, when the angle member 390 is at itslowermost elevation the pleating members 108 and 112 have been swunginwardly to their operative positions shown in FIG. 7. When the bar 390is raised the links 380 and 384 move upwardly to swing the intermediatelinks 370 and 376 apart from each other, thus resulting in swinging ofthe upper links 354 and 358 also outwardly apart from each other aroundthe upper pivots 362 and 366. In this way the pleating member 108 isdisplaced to the dotdash line position shown in FIG. 6, and the otherpleating member 112 is simultaneously displaced to a correspondingposition. Also, the other pair of pleating members 110 and 114 are actedupon in precisely the same way through the linkage at the other wall252, as a result of the vertical movement of the bar 388.

These bars 388 and 390 are fixed to the top ends of rods 392 and 394which in turn carry at their lower ends cam-follower rollers whichrespectively coact with a pair of cams 396. These cams 396 each have theconstruction shown in FIG. 13 and a pair of these cams are provided ateach unit to coact with the rods 392 and 394 thereof.

As may be seen from FIG. 13, each cam 396 has an outer tip 398 whichwhen it engages a follower roller situates the rod connected thereto atits highest elevation. Thus, when the tip 398 engages a follower rollerthe pleating members are in their outer inoperative positions. As thecam 396 rotates in a counterclockwise direction, as indicated by thearrow in FIG. 13, the follower roller enters into a camming groove 400defined between the outer edge of the cam and an angle plate 402 fixedthereto. The result is that the radial distance of the cam-foilowerroller from the center of the cam diminishes and the rods coacting withthe cams 396 at each unit are pulled downwardly until the end'of anglemember 402 moves beyond the cam-follower roller. Now the roller willengage the circumferential edge portion 404 of the cam and will dwell atthis time until the point 406 of the camming edge reaches. thecamfollower roller. While the pleating members 108, 110, 112, and 114remain at their inner operative positions, they coact with the plates116 and 118 for providing the outer pairs of pleats simultaneously withthe continued downward movement of each sheet 20, as is shown in FIG. 7.FIG. 7 illustrates that the pleating members 108 and 110 are situatedmore distant from each other than the pleating members 112 and 114, sothat in this way the paper of each sheet which folds inwardly inresponse to the action of the pleating members forms the pairs ofoverlapping pleats illustrated in FIG. 7. The members 112 and 114 willthus form the outer side pleats 72 and 76 which at their inner regionswill be situated between the outer pleats 74 and 78 which arerespectively formed by the members 110 and 108.

During the time when the outer pleating members are in their inoperativepositions, shown in dot-dash lines for the member 108 in FIG. 6, theyalso have edges inclined inwardly and downwardly toward the pleatingplane, as was the case with the upper edges of the inner pleatingmembers 102 and 104, and in this way during the downward movement ofeach sheet 20 from the wings 120 and 122, by the inner V-fold means 92,the sheets will engage these straight edges of the outer pleatingmembers in order to initiate the formation of the outer pleats. Whenthese members 108, 110, 112, and 114 are swung inwardly during downwardmovement of the bars 388 and 390, they deepen the pleats, buckling thesheet 20 inwardly until it has the c0nfiguration illustrated in FIG. 7,and when the sheet is stripped in this configuration the subsequent feedrolls 80 and 82 complete the creasing of the sheet as well as continuingthe feeding thereof.

As was pointed out above, this operation will take place during thedwell of the cam-follower rollers along the edge portion 404 until thepoint 406 is reached. At this point the several cams 396 will raise allof the outer pleating members back to their rest positions, inpreparation for the next operating cycle.

FEED ROLL MECHANISM As is apparent from FIG. 6, the base plate 144 ofeach unit is formed with a central opening 408 through which thefinished product falls from the feed rolls and 82 into a chute 410 whichdirects the finished products at each unit to a location from where theymay be taken for further processing. This base plate 144 is of courseformed with the openings for the rods 326, 392, and 394, at each unit,and the opening 408 is situated between the openings for the rods 392and 394. Adjacent the front and rear edges of the opening 48, each baseplate 144 fixedly carries a pair of upstanding plates 412 and 414 whichcarry bearings for a rotary shaft 416 on which the roll 80 is fixed. Asimilar pair of upstanding plates 418 and 420 are provided with suitablebearings for a shaft 422 on which the roll 82 is fixed. The shafts 416and 422 fixedly carry in front of the rolls pinions 424 and 426. Thesepinions respectively mesh with gears 428 and 430 which mesh with eachother. These gears 428 and 430 are respectively supported for freerotary movement on pins 432 and 434 which are respectively carried byand project forwardly from the front upstanding members 412 and 418.

The upstanding member 418 at each unit extends upwardly from the rearend of a horizontaily extending wall 436 which is fixed to the topsurface of the base plate 144 and which at its front end, situatedforwardly beyond the base plate 144, carries an upstanding member 438.The wall 438 at its upper region has an angle extension 440, as isapparent from FIGS. 3 and 6.

The shaft 416 at each unit extends through a suitable bearing in wall438 and fixedly carries at its front end a bevel gear 442. This gear 442of each unit meshes with a bevel gear 444. The bevel gear 444 of theseveral units are mounted on a common shaft 446 supported for rotarymovement not only by the walls 440 but also by supporting arms 448 fixedto and projecting forwardly from the side walls 136 and 138 of the mainframe. Outwardly beyond the arm 448 which is fixed to the wall 136, theshaft 446 carries a sprocket which meshes with a chain 450. This chain450 in turn extends around and meshes with a sprocket carried by themain drive shaft 150.

Thus, the drive from the motor 148 is transmitted from the shaft 150through the chain 450 to the shaft 446 so as to simultaneously rotateall of the bevel gears 444. These gears in turn rotate all of the bevelgears 442, so that the shafts 416 and the rollers 80 therewith, at eachunit are all continuously rotated. The roller 80 at each unit drives thepinion 424 which meshes with the gear 428. This latter gear then mesheswith the gear 430 so as to transmit the drive to the pinion 426 fixed tothe shaft 422 at each unit, so that in this way the roller 82 issimultaneously driven, and of course the rolls 80 and 82 simultaneouslyrotate equally and oppositely for creasing each sheet and feeding itdownwardly into a chute 410 at each unit, each sheet falling through theopening 408, as pointed out above.

GENERAL OPERATION While there are distinct units 127, 128, 130, and 132,these units of the machine 124 all have components actuated by partswhich are common to all of the units.

Thus the base plate 134 is common to all of the units, and the same istrue of the supporting bars 140 and 142. The side frame members 136 and138 serve in general together with the upper member 280 to carry all ofthe components together with the base plate 134. All of the strippingplates 124 and 126 are carried by the common bar 288. All of the foldingplates 98 and 100 are carried by the common bar 258. The bar 158 carriesall of the boxes 152 at the rear walls 156 thereof. The bar 158 carriesall of the microswitches of the several sheet-supply means. The suctioncups thereof are carried by the common bar 244, which is in turn carriedby only one pair of carriages 200 and 202, so that this supportingstructure is provided for all of the units, and of course it is only theend frame members 136 and 138 which carry the controls for the bar 244.Thus, the several units of the machine 124 are set up in such a way thatcomponents thereof are supported and actuated by common members whichnot only achieve a convenient and compact arrangement, reducing thestructure required by each unit, but which in addition assure fullsynchronism in the operation of the several units.

During each operating cycle when all of the pleating members areretracted to their rest positions and the inner V-fold means as well asthe stripping means are in their upper end positions, the sheet-supplymeans acts to deliver a sheet at each of the units onto the stationarysheet-supporting portions of the outer V-fold means 90. Upon retractionof the suction cups back to the stacks of sheets at the boxes, the pairof main cams 270, which are provided for all of the units, bring aboutthe downward movement of the main control rods 260 and 262, which alsoare common to all of the units. This results in the initial folding ofthe sheets 20 at the several units along the line 22 illustrated in FIG.15.

Now the cams 330 and 396 operate to swing the pleating members inwardlyto their operative positions, and in this way the side pleats are formedaround the pleating plates 116 and 118.

The fingers 308 of the cams 270 will now bring about downward movementof the stripping plates, and by the time stripping plates have reachedthe folded sheets to advance the latter to the feed rolls, the cams 396have returned the outer pleating members 108, 110, 1 12 and 114 to theirouter rest positions, so that the sheet remains pleated but these outerpleating members are at their outer rest positions when the stripperplates operate to strip the sheet from the folding plates. it is duringthis action that the part 272 of the cam 270 operates to raise the innerV-fold means approximately onequarter of an inch so as to facilitate thestripping action in this way. The folded sheets are delivered by thestripping members to the feed rolls 80 and 82 which are driven in amanner described above so as to continue the feeding and creasing of thesheets, the inner pleating members 102 and 104 remaining at theiroperative positions while the sheet 20 is stripped and fed downwardly tothe feed rolls at each unit.

Then the inner pleating members and the inner V- fold means return totheir initial positions, and of course the movement of the fingers 308beyond the follower rollers at the bottom ends of the rods 304 and 306releases the yieldable means 294 so that it can return the strippingmembers to the positions they normally assume with respect to the innerV-fold means.

It has been found in actual practice that the abovedescribed machine ofthe invention can operate very rapidly bringing about an output at eachunit on the order of folded sheets per minute.

What is claimed is:

1. In a sheet-folding machine, a pair of rolls respectively havingparallel axes of rotation and situated adjacent and on opposite sides ofa predetermined feed plane situated between and parallel to said axes ofrotation for feeding and simultaneously creasing a sheet passing betweensaid rolls along a predetermined feed axis situated in said feed plane,a folding assembly for forming a V-fold in a sheet received between saidrolls, said folding assembly being located ahead of said rolls,considered in the direction of sheet travel, and including an outerV-fold means and an inner V-fold means, said outer V-fold means having apair of spaced sheetsupporting portions provided with oppositelyinclined sheet-engaging surfaces which converge toward said rolls andwhich are situated equidistantly from said feed plane on opposite sidesthereof and define between themselves a tapered space through which saidfeed plane symmetrically extends and across which a sheet initiallyextends before a V-fold is formed therein, said inner V-fold means beingaligned with said space to be received therein for forming a V-fold in asheet prior to feeding and creasing of the sheet by said rolls, and saidinner V-fold means including a pair of folding plates respectivelyhaving the same inclination as said sheet-engaging surfaces of saidsheet-supporting portions and also defining between themselves a taperedspace through which said feed plane symmetrically extends, meansoperatively connected with one of said V-fold means for advancing it,without changing its inclination, along said feed axis with respect tothe other of said V-fold means to situate said inner V-fold means insaid space between said sheet-supporting portions to form a V-fold in asheet, support means supporting said other V-fold means for maintainingthe latter V-fold means stationary while said one V-fold means isadvanced along said feed axis with respect to said other V-fold means,and a pair of pleating members situated on opposite sides of a pleatingplane which is normal to said feed plane and which also contains saidfeed axis, said pleating members being movable into and out of saidspace defined between said sheet-engaging surfaces and said pleatingmembers being situated in the latter space at least during part of thetime that a sheet is folded by said folding assembly for forming a pairof side pleats between a V-folded sheet portion so that duringsubsequent feeding and creasing of the sheet by said rolls the sheetwill be provided with an outer V-folded portion and with a pair of innerpleats situated between said outer V-folded portron.

2. The combination of claim 1 and wherein a means is operativelyconnected with said pleating members for moving them simultaneouslyinwardly toward and outwardly away from said pleating plane.

3. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said means for moving one ofsaid V-fold means is operatively connected with said inner V-fold meansfor moving the latter into and through said space between saidsheet-engaging surfaces toward and in close proximity to said rolls.

4. The combination of claim 3 and wherein a stripper means coacts withsaid inner V-fold means for stripping a V-folded sheet therefrom whiledelivering the thusfolded sheet between said rolls to be fed and creasedthereby.

5. The combination of claim 4 and wherein said means operativelyconnected to said inner V-fold means to move the latter with respect tosaid outer V- fold means is also operatively connected with said innerV-fold means to retract the latter away from said rolls while saidstripper means engages a V-folded sheet, in order to facilitate thestripping action.

6. The combination of claim 1 and wherein a supply means coacts withsaid outer V-fold means for automatically supplying sheets successivelythereto.

7. The combination of claim I and wherein said pair of pleating membersform a pair of inner pleating members for forming inner pleats betweenthe V-folded sheet portion, and four outer pleating members situated twoon one side and two on the other side of said pleating plane for formingin the sheet outer pleats between which inner pleats formed by saidinner pleating members are located with all of the pleats being situatedbetween the V-folded sheet portion.

8. The combination of claim 7 and wherein a means is operativelyconnected with said outer pleating members for moving them through saidpleating plane to form in a sheet outer pleats which overlap each other9. The combination of claim 7 and wherein said inner V-fold meanscarries a pair of pleating plates situated on opposite sides of saidfeed plane symmetrically with respect thereto and extendingsubstantially perpendicularly through said pleating plane, said innerpleating members being situated in said feed plane and said pleatingplates being situated between said feed plane and said outer pleatingmembers so that pleats are formed by said pleating members around saidpleating plates which are carried by said inner V-fold means 10. Thecombination of claim 9 and wherein said pleating plates are locatedbetween said folding plates of said inner V-fold means, and strippermeans for stripping a folded sheet from said folding plates, saidstripper means including stripper plates situated between said pleatingplates and folding plates and means connected to said stripper platesfor moving the latter toward said rolls for stripping a sheet from saidfolding plates.

11. The combination of claim 10 and wherein a yieldable means coactswith said inner V-fold means and said stripper plates for normallymaintaining the latter at a given position with respect to said innerV-fold means, and said means which moves said stripper plates towardsaid rolls acting in opposition to said yieldable means.

12. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said pair of folding platesare inclined inwardly toward said feed plane and respectivelyterminating terminate in substantially pointed ends located adjacentsaid feed plane so that said pleating members and folding plates form inthe V-folded sheet a pair of pointed portions which have tips meetingeach other at the crest of the V- folded sheet portion.

: I: k a:

1. In a sheet-folding machine, a pair of rolls respectively having parallel axes of rotation and situated adjacent and on opposite sides of a predetermined feed plane situated between and parallel to said axes of rotation for feeding and simultaneously creasing a sheet passing between said rolls along a predetermined feed axis situated in said feed plane, a folding assembly for forming a V-fold in a sheet received between said rolls, said folding assembly being located ahead of said rolls, considered in the direction of sheet travel, and including an outer V-fold means and an inner V-fold means, said outer V-fold means having a pair of spaced sheet-supporting portions provided with oppositely inclined sheet-engaging surfaces which converge toward said rolls and which are situated equidistantly from said feed plane on opposite sides thereof and define between themselves a tapered space through which said feed plane symmetrically extends and across which a sheet initially extends before a V-fold is formed therein, said inner V-fold means being aligned with said space to be received therein for forming a V-fold in a sheet prior to feeding and creasing of the sheet by said rolls, and said inner V-fold means including a pair of folding plates respectively having the same inclination as said sheet-engaging surfaces of said sheet-supporting portions and also defining between themselves a tapered space through which said feed plane symmetrically extends, means operatively connected with one of said V-fold means for advancing it, without changing its inclination, along said feed axis with respect to the other of said V-fold means to situate said inner V-fold means in said space between said sheet-supporting portions to form a V-fold in a sheet, support means supporting said other V-fold means for maintaining the latter V-fold means stationary while said one Vfold means is advanced along said feed axis with respect to said other V-fold means, and a pair of pleating members situated on opposite sides of a pleating plane which is normal to said feed plane and which also contains said feed axis, said pleating members being movable into and out of said space defined between said sheet-engaging surfaces and said pleating members being situated in the latter space at least during part of the time that a sheet is folded by said folding assembly for forming a pair of side pleats between a V-folded sheet portion so that during subsequent feeding and creasing of the sheet by said rolls the sheet will be provided with an outer V-folded portion and with a pair of inner pleats situated between said outer V-folded portion.
 2. The combination of claim 1 and wherein a means is operatively connected with said pleating members for moving them simultaneously inwardly toward and outwardly away from said pleating plane.
 3. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said means for moving one of said V-fold means is operatively connected with said inner V-fold means for moving the latter into and through said space between said sheet-engaging surfaces toward and in close proximity to said rolls.
 4. The combination of claim 3 and wherein a stripper means coacts with said inner V-fold means for stripping a V-folded sheet therefrom while delivering the thus-folded sheet between said rolls to be fed and creased thereby.
 5. The combination of claim 4 and wherein said means operativelY connected to said inner V-fold means to move the latter with respect to said outer V-fold means is also operatively connected with said inner V-fold means to retract the latter away from said rolls while said stripper means engages a V-folded sheet, in order to facilitate the stripping action.
 6. The combination of claim 1 and wherein a supply means coacts with said outer V-fold means for automatically supplying sheets successively thereto.
 7. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said pair of pleating members form a pair of inner pleating members for forming inner pleats between the V-folded sheet portion, and four outer pleating members situated two on one side and two on the other side of said pleating plane for forming in the sheet outer pleats between which inner pleats formed by said inner pleating members are located with all of the pleats being situated between the V-folded sheet portion.
 8. The combination of claim 7 and wherein a means is operatively connected with said outer pleating members for moving them through said pleating plane to form in a sheet outer pleats which overlap each other.
 9. The combination of claim 7 and wherein said inner V-fold means carries a pair of pleating plates situated on opposite sides of said feed plane symmetrically with respect thereto and extending substantially perpendicularly through said pleating plane, said inner pleating members being situated in said feed plane and said pleating plates being situated between said feed plane and said outer pleating members so that pleats are formed by said pleating members around said pleating plates which are carried by said inner V-fold means.
 10. The combination of claim 9 and wherein said pleating plates are located between said folding plates of said inner V-fold means, and stripper means for stripping a folded sheet from said folding plates, said stripper means including stripper plates situated between said pleating plates and folding plates and means connected to said stripper plates for moving the latter toward said rolls for stripping a sheet from said folding plates.
 11. The combination of claim 10 and wherein a yieldable means coacts with said inner V-fold means and said stripper plates for normally maintaining the latter at a given position with respect to said inner V-fold means, and said means which moves said stripper plates toward said rolls acting in opposition to said yieldable means.
 12. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said pair of folding plates are inclined inwardly toward said feed plane and respectively terminating terminate in substantially pointed ends located adjacent said feed plane so that said pleating members and folding plates form in the V-folded sheet a pair of pointed portions which have tips meeting each other at the crest of the V-folded sheet portion. 